Why can Vodacom not fix their system

[BBSA]

On Friday I received a SMS from Vodacom that my data bundle is completed and that I'm now using OOB data rates. I realised that something is wrong and I immediately stop my data connection. The SMS was late and I already used R600 OOB data. I have a credit limit on my account but for some reason my account was not locked. The Vodacom help desk agent informed me that my account will not be locked as long as there is still an active connection, which expose their customers to BIG OOB charges.

I am lucky to only have lost R600, but I do not understand why a BIG company like Vodacom can not fix these issues?

Maybe they do not want to kill the OOB shark.....

 

[DA-LION-619]

Lol get ready for BS excuses.

 

[BBSA]

Lol get ready for BS excuses.

I know, I'm probability just wasting my time.

Their system is broken, and its been like this for years.

I guess there is no intensive for them to fix it.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Sane story last week.

Fortunately i switched to prepaid now but still almost a R150 gone.

Why can't we simply set it up so that when your data Bundle is finished it STOPS doing data.

I'm not even going down the road of them "stealing" it because you'll never get real world information from them.

Just odd that I checked the balance the morning and 40min later when I got to work the 500mb was gone and all my airtime.

This while I did nothing with my phone.

 

[R13...]

I know, I'm probability just wasting my time.

Their system is broken, and its been like this for years.

I guess there is no intensive for them to fix it.

Jannie promised us they're working at making contract billing real time. That was in 2006/07. By the way they can interrupt your data session but apparently the reason they don't is because they don't want your download stopping midway, you then wonder why the customer doesn't matter on prepaid where they cut you off at about 2Mb to ensure no chance you go over.

 

[R13...]

Sane story last week.

Fortunately i switched to prepaid now but still almost a R150 gone.

Why can't we simply set it up so that when your data Bundle is finished it STOPS doing data.

Most modern smartphones allow you to stop data when you reach a certain preset threshold

 

[Arthur]

I know, I'm probability just wasting my time.

Their system is broken, and its been like this for years.

I guess there is no intensive for them to fix it.

Why do you think the system is broken? It's working exactly as designed - you pay a rate according to your bundle, and when you go over you pay a higher rate. Many users prefer keeping their connection even when their pre-purchased or contract-committed bundle runs out - for them it's preferable to just being cut dead.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Most modern smartphones allow you to stop data when you reach a certain preset threshold

A nice feature of my Lumia but sadly not aware of such a thing on iPhone.

Also it really shouldn't be the phones problem.

 

[AfricanTech]

Why do you think the system is broken? It's working exactly as designed - you pay a rate according to your bundle, and when you go over you pay a higher rate. Many users prefer keeping their connection even when their pre-purchased or contract-committed bundle runs out - for them it's preferable to just being cut dead.

Broken part is it consuming beyond the limit he set using their systems.

 

[profeet]

Lol get ready for BS excuses.

Like prepaid sim not being able, god forbid TM, to simply just end when data is finished?

 

[Arthur]

Broken part is it consuming beyond the limit he set using their itsystems.

But does he actually set a limit? How?

My understanding is you agree to buy a quantum of data at a set rate with the condition that if you use more than that quantum in the period you agree to a higher rate per whatever unit you are being billed at.

It's a contractual issue, not a systems one.

 

[BBSA]

Why do you think the system is broken? It's working exactly as designed - you pay a rate according to your bundle, and when you go over you pay a higher rate. Many users prefer keeping their connection even when their pre-purchased or contract-committed bundle runs out - for them it's preferable to just being cut dead.

The big problem is that their system is not real time. If my bundle is completed it should notify me immediately, not R 10 000 later.

Also, it should NOT go over my credit limit.

Why do they not give the customer the option if the want their connection open or not after your bundle is completed.

 

[R13...]

But does he actually set a limit? How?

My understanding is you agree to buy a quantum of data at a set rate with the condition that if you use more than that quantum in the period you agree to a higher rate per whatever unit you are being billed at.

It's a contractual issue, not a systems one.

It doesn't sound like he set a limit but the billed beyond their own imposed credit limit. By the way setting a limit means nothing in his case, Vodacom take no responsibility for you being billed way over that limit.

 

[supersunbird]

Why do you think the system is broken? It's working exactly as designed - you pay a rate according to your bundle, and when you go over you pay a higher rate. Many users prefer keeping their connection even when their pre-purchased or contract-committed bundle runs out - for them it's preferable to just being cut dead.

And others don't want theirs to work like that, freedom to choose would be nice, we both know you love freedom of choice, guess they have that, they need to go to another provider that does do it right, because Vodacom system programmers are incompetent, while Telkoms aren't (I know right, is it opposite day?)...

 

[Arthur]

Also, why do they not give the customer the option if the want their connection open or not?

I agree - such an option would be useful for some subscribers. Is it not available for prepaid customers?

 

[biometrics]

But does he actually set a limit? How?

My understanding is you agree to buy a quantum of data at a set rate with the condition that if you use more than that quantum in the period you agree to a higher rate per whatever unit you are being billed at.

It's a contractual issue, not a systems one.

You can set a limit. Two problems:

1. It's not real time.
2. When hitting the limit you can't phone or sms. You can't elect to stop data only.

This has been going on for as long as I can remember and Jannie keeps saying a new system is in development. The egg on his face must be rotting by now.

 

[Arthur]

Hehe. Thanks for explaining. The ins and outs of cellular packages are byzantine. I'm on a SIM-only month-to-month that has a flat rate for calls and data. Surely there's something out there that solves the OP's problem?

 

[AfricanTech]

Hehe. Thanks for explaining. The ins and outs of cellular packages are byzantine. I'm on a SIM-only month-to-month that has a flat rate for calls and data. Surely there's something out there that solves the OP's problem?

Yep. Prepaid. Which is inconvenient (imo)

Vodacom does not appear to have a workable contract offering to meet this need. (or if they do, it's so badly advertised /marketed or so byzantine in operation, that poor old me is not aware of it.

My phone therefore is set to 3G only - LTE is too dangerous to leave on.

 

[cupcake]

I have aTop up contract with a feature that allows me to add airtime by using *100*04*randvalue# so I can buy airtime immediately and it gets billed to my contract account. It is a bit inconvenient at times but beats huge data accounts or having to go out and buy airtime. I think it is called auto top up but customer care should know how to set it up.

 

[BBSA]

I have aTop up contract with a feature that allows me to add airtime by using *100*04*randvalue# so I can buy airtime immediately and it gets billed to my contract account. It is a bit inconvenient at times but beats huge data accounts or having to go out and buy airtime. I think it is called auto top up but customer care should know how to set it up.

We are aware of this, but some of us do not want a top-up contracts. All I want is a contract on which I can add-on a data bundle and if it it completed I want the choice if I want to continue using OOB rates or buy a new bundle.

If Telkom can provide this to their customers surly Vodacom can also.